Chesterfield

Chesterfield's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in health, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 100,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Chesterfield increased by 5.0%, from just over 98,800 to 104,000.

The addition of just over 4,900 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Chesterfield was home to, on average, 11 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Chesterfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Chesterfield increased by three years, from 39 to 42 years.

This industrial area had a higher average age than the East Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 3,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 12% of people in Chesterfield are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Chesterfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Chesterfield, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.6% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in three (33%) households had only one person, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Chesterfield which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 37% to 32%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.7% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Chesterfield increased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Chesterfield, the East Midlands and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Chesterfield, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the East Midlands.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of people working long hours, as the regional average fell from 14% to 10%.

During this period, Chesterfield fell below five local authority areas, including Broxtowe and Oadby and Wigston, to become the East Midlands local authority area with the ninth-lowest percentage of long hours workers.

Long hour working in Chesterfield decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Chesterfield, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Chesterfield residents that were unemployed increased from 4.5% to 4.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (53%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 52% in 2001. The percentage of Chesterfield residents that were self-employed increased from 6.2% to 7.4%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 3.4% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were unemployed across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

Chesterfield saw the East Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.6%) in Chesterfield said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 62% to 76%.

Across the region, only Bolsover (from 14% to 8.6%) and Nottingham (from 11% to 6.5%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 9.4% to 5.7%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Chesterfield decreased by 4.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Chesterfield, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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